Nutrition Screening
A simple way to identify who needs extra support

What nutrition screening is (and isn’t)

Nutrition screening is a first step, not a diagnosis.

It is designed to:

• identify whether a person is likely to be well nourished, at risk of malnutrition, or malnourished
• establish a clear nutrition baseline
• help prioritise who may need further support

It is not a substitute for an individual dietitian assessment, and it isn’t trying to be. Instead, it helps ensure dietitian time and clinical resources are focused where they are most needed.

The screening tool

Eat Well Health’s online nutrition screening questionnaire is based on the Mini Nutritional Assessment – Short Form (MNA-SF), a widely used and clinically supported screening tool for identifying nutrition risk in older adults.

The screening:

• typically takes under five minutes
• works on mobile, tablet, or desktop
• can be completed independently, or with help from a family member or carer

It assesses five validated factors:

• appetite and food intake
• recent weight loss
• mobility
• acute illness or stress
• acute illness or stress

What the screening provides

Once completed, the screening:

• classifies nutrition status (well nourished / at risk / malnourished)
• provides clear guidance on next steps
• indicates whether further dietitian support is recommended
• creates documentation that supports care planning and record-keeping

Results can be shared with the client (or representative) and the nominated Support at Home provider contact.

Screening or existing recommendation

Eat Well Health supports two simple ways to proceed:

• If there is no existing recommendation
  The client completes the online nutrition screening, which establishes an initial nutrition baseline and helps determine whether additional support may be beneficial.
• If there is already a GP or dietitian recommendation
  No screening is required. The existing recommendation can simply be uploaded and used instead. This avoids unnecessary duplication and makes use of information that already exists.

Using nutrition screening over time

Nutrition screening works best when it is:

• completed at onboarding
• repeated during routine reviews
• used when carers or care teams notice changes

In simple terms: screen everyone, then support the people who need it most.

What happens next

Based on the screening result:

• some people may only require monitoring
• some may benefit from nutrition support
• some may require follow-up with a dietitian

Where a dietitian recommendation is required and one does not already exist, Eat Well Health can support access to dietitian services, including via telehealth.